EPHS Principal Amanda Brode-Rico wins High School IPA Principal of the Year: A Closer Look
District 401 is pleased to announce that Elmwood Park High School Principal Dr. Amanda Brode-Rico has been announced as the Illinois Principal Association’s (IPA) High School Principal of the Year for the West Cook region!
The honor comes after an extensive application process, including a nomination, evaluation questions answered by Brode-Rico, student growth statistics, three letters of recommendation, and an IPA board vote.
Brode-Rico is proud and feels EPHS has been the perfect fit for her, this is her second year at EPHS. Following 15 years as a teacher, she previously worked as principal of a large multi-campus high school. After that experience, she particularly loves the smaller size of EPHS and how it allows her to be present and accessible to the students and staff.
Along with teaching and serving as a principal, she has worked as an athletic director and a coach, and believes deeply in the importance of extracurriculars. One of her first moves as EPHS principal was to advocate for District 401 to integrate into the Upstate 8 Conference. A larger conference not only gives students a wide range of athletic opportunities, but holds other competitive extracurriculars such as Scholastics Bowl. That switch has been a big hit, and EPHS students have been very successful with the growth it has provided them with.
“When I was interviewing here, somebody told me that starting in District 401 is like slipping on a comfortable pair of shoes, and that has stuck with me,” she said. “There’s just an ease in which people deal with each other, it’s casual yet professional and I think that’s who I am as a person”
Brode-Rico’s comfort with her staff is reflected in the 2023-2024 5Essentials Survey data points, which were considered in the IPA’s decision to award her with the award. The survey is given to Illinois parents, students, and teachers to seek input on such things as school culture. Brode-Rico’s highest score and growth were in principal/teacher trust.
When Brode-Rico came to EPHS, it was a period of transition for the school as most of her administrative team were new to the building. She wanted to keep a tight focus on building trust and communication.
“Walking into the school last year when I started, I just didn’t know if it was going to work,” she said. “But that focus worked out beautifully, and I think it paid us back tenfold.”
Brode-Rico fully attributes the success at EPHS to the staff and students.
“All of the magicalness that has happened in the last year and a half, I couldn't have done without these people,” she said. “ They are amazing. It’s a joy to come to work every single day, and even on the hardest days we can at least sit together and find a solution that we are all willing to try.”
Going forward, Brode-Rico and her team have set a goal of extending that relational growth they’ve found with each other to parents. 13 of her 15 years spent teaching was in Chicago Public Schools, of which EPHS’s demographics are very close to. She says that this hands-on experience with families back then, helps her know what her families need now. This has included events like an 8th grade parent night to get to know the staff, and an open house at the beginning of the year for all students. Additionally, she has integrated a quarterly State of the School Address, with the most recent being in January, and is excited about what these opportunities will bring in the future.
Recently, Brode-Rico was reflecting on her time with EPHS and her team with a professional mentor she’s had since acquiring her doctorate.
“He told me ‘This is all you’ve ever wanted, and you finally have it,” she said. “It’s true, it’s better than I ever could have imagined.”
District 401 is proud of Brode-Rico and the success she’s brought to EPHS!